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What is Nattokinase – and How Does It Support Cardiovascular Health?*

November 18, 2022 by Enzymedica Team
What is Nattokinase – and How Does It Support Cardiovascular Health?*

Browse the menu at any sushi restaurant and you’ll likely spot natto, a type of fermented soybean that has a surprising aroma and interesting consistency. These sticky, stringy soybeans have a pungent smell, similar to a ripe French cheese. A traditional Japanese food that dates back centuries, natto has a nutty taste that grows on you – and, more importantly, these little beans have an impressive resume.

The process of fermenting soybeans into natto creates nattokinase, an enzyme that supports cardiovascular health.* Nattokinase has a remarkable story, one that helps maintain the body’s balance of blood clotting and blood flow.

Read on to learn about healthy blood flow, the support that nattokinase offers – and the Enzymedica formula that uses a unique form to support cardiovascular health.*

How Blood Flows and Clots

In your body, blood flows constantly – toward the heart with the help of veins and then back away from the heart with the help of arteries. It’s a process you don’t have to think about, since it happens 24/7 behind the scenes. But what about when you cut yourself chopping an onion or trip over a rock and skin your knee while running? When you start to bleed, your body needs a way to stop the flow.

That’s where clotting comes in. A series of reactions take place in the bloodstream. Platelets spring to action, sticking to each other and vessel walls to create a plug at the site. From there, different proteins known as clotting factors get the signal that it’s time to get to work. They create a substance called fibrin, which creates long strands that form a net for platelets and other cells. The clot that forms and this coagulation process are how your body naturally controls bleeding.

What Does Nattokinase Do for Cardiovascular Health?*

Keeping fibrin in a normal, healthy range supports both circulation and cardiovascular health. Nattokinase has been found to effectively break down and regulate fibrin by producing plasmin, a proteolytic enzyme. Nattokinase can help support cardiovascular health, especially as we age.*

Back in 1980, Dr. Hiroyuki Sumi, MD, a researcher for the Japan Ministry of Education, took some natto to his laboratory, according to the Japanese Functional Food Research Association. An enzyme expert, he earned a medical degree and also graduated from the Department of Fermentation Technology at Yamanashi University.

He decided to add natto to a lab dish instead of the usual enzyme. To his surprise, the natto seemed to contain a substance that exhibited strong fibrinolytic activity. An enzyme in the natto was effective in breaking down fibrin.

He named this enzyme nattokinase, and Dr. Sumi later commented that nattokinase showed “a potency matched by no other enzyme.” By 1986, Dr. Sumi was known as “Dr. Natto” because of his discovery.

He had worked with over 200 global foods, and nothing else produced the same potency of enzymes. Nattokinase works by enhancing the body’s ability to produce plasmin, which breaks down and helps the body regulate fibrin.*

Natto-K™ Offers Natural Support for Optimal Circulation*

Enzymedica’s Natto-K™ formula helps maintain normal levels of blood clotting factors already within a healthy range, and it promotes optimal circulation and cardiovascular health.*

By using nattokinase, Natto-K is able to promote optimal circulation and cardiovascular health.* Natto-K helps maintain normal levels of blood clotting factors already within a healthy range.* It also promotes optimal circulation and cardiovascular health.*

The enzymes in Natto-K includes a specialized blend of nattokinase with NSK-SD®, the only form of nattokinase that doesn’t contain vitamin K2, enhancing the body’s ability to regulate fibrin levels.*